Thursday, March 25, 2010

Crist Continues to Tout Cover Florida

I wrote previously about how Gov. Charlie Crist's Cover Florida health insurance program has been a massive failure. At the time, Cover Florida only provided insurance coverage to 3,700 Floridians. 3,560 Floridians lose their health insurance every week. Cover Florida does not make a dent into stopping Floridians from losing health insurance. Crist was so uncommitted to Cover Florida that he would not spend money to advertise the program.

Crist is again touting Cover Florida in a radio ad. The Pulitzer prize-winning Politifact found Cover Florida only provides health insurance to 0.1 percent of uninsured Floridians. When I previously checked the Cover Florida web site, there were no plans that covered hospitalization. Fortunately, the plans have gotten somewhat better. There are caps on hospital visits and other services. You are not covered once you pass the caps. Cover Florida private plans can exclude people with pre-existing conditions for the first year.

Seriously, does Crist want to run on a health care plan that only covers 0.1 percent of the uninsured? If so, then Crist need not wonder why he is behind in the polls.